Posted by:
FR
at Mon Mar 31 11:18:14 2014 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by FR ]
There are many many ways to look at this. As a youth, I found a 6 1/2 foot coastal gophersnake hit on the road, just hit, still almost normal looking. It later died, so I cut it open. It had recently consumed an adult rock squirrel. The snake was so large, it was not that obvious of a bulge.
What was interesting to me was, The snakes stomach was only about six inches long and only engulfed the head and neck of the squirrel. This observation was the start of a long story of better husbandry.
My new approach was to feed prey items that fit inside the snakes stomach, and repeat as soon as the "lump" was broken down.
For the time, which is the reality, My results were maybe 100 times better then the peers of the time.
Then as I gained realistic experience, I learned that temp management was also important, in fact, very important. This knowledge added a complexity to the situation. Which means, temps are important in their ability to process food.
Then I learned that humidity is also a key element. All these are easy and harmless to test in captivity. Humidity also effects how prey is processed.
The point I am making is, prey size, is directly related to all the above and more. So what does that mean.
To talk about one is a bit academic, its not all, its part. While the stomach is small, in certain conditions, digestion is mammal fast, that is, they can digest prey and pass it that day or the next. Then add the fact that wild snakes utilize a range of temps based on prey size. Small prey they choose low temps. large prey, higher temps and huge prey, really high temps. But the key is, the elevated temps are only for key periods of digestion. High temps can be considered break down temps, That is, they only use them long enough to start the process then seek lower temps to continue and even lower to conserve.
In the end, its about results, all the above taken out of context is clutter. To grow quickly is the test. Any questions?
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RE: About pinkies, - FR, Mon Mar 31 11:18:14 2014
